Head lamp construction



Aug. 11, 1936. c. A. MICHEL HEAD LAMP CONSTRUCTION Filed June 11, 1934 swam tom- Patented Aug. 11, 1936 pairs!) STA-rs.

HEAD LAMP CONSTRUCTION Clarence A. Michel, Anderson, Ind.,. assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application. June 11, 1934, Serial No...730,013

2 Claims.

means for securing the lens to the body of the lamp to providea rain and dust tight joint between the lens and the lamp body.

One of the-novel features of this invention consists in the provision of a split molding or clampingi'ing to secure the lens to the open end of the lamp body, the ends of which overlap and which also has means associated therewith to limit the separation thereof.

Another novel feature is the provision with the usual lens engaging gasket on the lamp of means formed on the lens to improve the seal therewith.

The invention also consists in other details of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing and the following description of one embodiment in which all such modifications are contemplated as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a lamp assembly with parts in side elevation.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary part elevation with parts in section adjacent the ends of the split molding or clamping ring.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the internal ends of the split molding or clamping ring.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the lens.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a modified lens.

Referring to the drawing, the lamp body I and the reflector 2 therein may, for the greater part, assume any desired shape or form. Adjacent its front end the body is provided with an external annular groove or curved seat 3 for a purpose to be presently described, and with an annular curved seat 4 to receive and position the reflector 2 which is formed with a groove 5 for the packing ring or cork gasket 6. A portion of the groove 5 may be bent outwardly to provide a lug l to engage within a notch in the flange of seat 4 to prevent relative rotation between the reflector and the lamp body.

The lens 8 is adapted to be assembled with a split molding or clamping ring 9 which may be contracted to draw the lens tightly against the gasket 6 and secure both the lens and reflector to the lamp body. For this purpose the molding or clamping ring 9 is formed at its inner edge with a reinforcing bead 10 to engage within the groove 3 of the lamp body and is extended around the periphery of the lens to contact at its outer edge with a. curved or angled cam surface on the enlarged rim Ii of the lens. To position the molding or clamping ring circumferentially on the lamp body and position and retain the bead lil within the groove 3, a tongue l2 may be provided for insertion through an opening in the lamp-body during assembly and this tongue may be constituted by a depending portion of a separate spring clip member 13 which is located be tween the bead Hi and the lens rim l l.

Upon the inner surface of the lens 8 adjacent the periphery is a sharp V-shaped ridge 25 which extends entirely around the lens as shown by Fig. 4. Inside of the V-shaped ridge, and also extending all around the periphery is a row of stipples or small conical raised portions 25. The purpose of the ridge is to bite into and deform the cork gasket and thus form a solid dust proof joint and the purpose of the stipples is well known tobe to diffuse the light so that the cork gasket cannot be seen thru the lens. While the preferred form shown in Fig. 4 shows only one row of stipples and one circular ridge, a plurality of ridges and rows of stipples may be used as shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the detailed construction of the ends of the split molding or clamping ring 9 and the associated means for contracting this ring and limiting separation of the ends, it will be noted particularly from the showing in Fig. 3, that the end H1 is provided with a portion l5 which is offset inwardly from the normal plane thereof to overlap and fit within the end l6 except at the inner edge where the bead l0 and a portion of the end l4 adjcent the bead are removed. The extreme end of member I4 is left a little wider than the remainder of the offset portion as shown at IT. This part will fit Within the bead l0 and prevent the overlapping portion from being distorted toward the center of the rim.

The outer half of the portion l5 has a rectangular opening l8 punched out of the center leaving a fairly thin rim l9 around the sides thereof. The inner half has a raised portion 20 formed by pressing this section further than the offset but in the same direction. The end portion 2| of this section 20 is cut away from the sides and pushed up so that it lies in the same plane as the top of the section.

The end I4, just to the rear of the offset, and end l6 have fastened thereto lugs 22 and 23 by rivets 24. Both of these lugs have a hole for the reception of screw 21, and lug 22 has the hole threaded so that the screw may be screwed into it. Then since the head of the screw engages the other lug when it is rotated, the two ends will be pulled together.

In the assembly of this part of the unit, the offset portion is fed inside of the end l6, lug 23 having been fed thru the opening made by folding up flap 2| and riveted in place. The wider portion I1 is snapped under the bead I which brings the hole l8 over lug 22. With this in place the engagement of the lug 22 with the end 28 of the offset and cut out portion prevents the two ends from becoming disengaged unless it is snapped out. The bolt 21 is then inserted'and screwed up to the desired position. In this way a part of the offset portion always covers the gap between the two end portions and prevents the dust and rain from getting up into the casing.

This particular type of lens structure with the annular ridge and row of stipples may be used in conjunction with any means for supporting the lens upon the front of the casing, such as the door or doorless type as well as with the rim type as shown.

It can therefore be seen from the foregoing description that the overlapping of the ends of the-clamping ring prevents rain and dust from getting into the casing and the sharp- V-shaped ridges on the lens, which press into the cork,

prevent the same from getting to the reflector.

I claim:

the oifset end having both an opening there- 6 through and a raised surface, an angled lug attached to each end for holding the means for securing the two ends together, the extreme end of the opening in the offset end abutting the lug on the other end when the two ends are separated 10 a short distance to prevent total disengagement, the raised surface covering the last mentioned lug in all normal positions.

2. A lamp structure including a casing open at one end, a gasket supported adjacent the opening, a lens, a plurality of different types of projections on the rear face of the lens a part of which is adapted to contact the gasket for sealing and the remainder for light diffracting and concealing purposes, a split rim for supporting the lens on the casing, onetend of the rim being offset and fitting within the other, the ofiset end having ,both an opening therein and a raised surface adjacent thereto, an angled lug attached to 7 each end for securing the two ends together, the

lug on the opposite end hving a portion extending through the opening in the offset end and the raised surface extending over the last named lug.

CLARENCE A. MICHEL. 

